1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to pallets and, more specifically, to an improved pallet made of corrugated paperboard.
2. Description of the State of the Art
Historically, most pallets have been made of wood, which has made them quite costly and, because of their weight, cumbersome to employ in many materials handling applications. In an effort to reduce the weight of the pallet a variety of alternative materials have been employed. One such material that has been considered and used to some extent has been corrugated paperboard. While it is light in weight when compared with wooden pallets, it nonetheless provides a sufficiently strong construction to permit its use in many applications where wooden pallets are used conventionally. While corrugated pallets have attained some degree of acceptance, there are certain instances where only the added strength provided by wooden pallets can be utilized satisfactorily. In the present invention, a combination of corrugated board and wood provides a pallet which has a unique combination of properties.
The state of the art is best exemplified in the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: Frye, 2,534,011; Klein, 2,741,361; Chronister, 2,841,350; Nicholls, 2,894,671; Marso, 2,925,978; Roshon, 2,953,339; and Carroll, 3,514,030.